The Road To The Wedding
by Keira-House M.D
Summary: Lily and James have just a month to plan their wedding. And with Lily working on her Charms Mastery she's forced to delegate the preparation to James, Sirius and Remus – she only hopes she doesn't regret it. Lily/James. Birthday fic for WonderWitch123.


**Disclaimer:** **I don't own Harry Potter, it is the property of the brilliant J.K Rowling. This story is the product of her marvellous characters and world and my imagination.**

 **Lily and James' wedding vows are an amended version of Amy and Jake's wedding vows in 5x22 of Brooklyn Nine Nine, because I cannot write decent wedding vows.**

 **All the wizarding bands / singers mentioned were listed on Harry Potter Wiki.**

 **Birthday fic for WonderWitch123**

* * *

"You know what everyone is going to think, don't you?" Sirius asks, with a significant look at Lily's stomach.

"I am _not_ pregnant," she hisses, sending a small spark of magic at his arm that makes him jump and pout at her.

"Didn't say you were," he insists with a faux innocent expression on his face, "only that people will _think_ you are."

"I just want my dad to walk me down the aisle," Lily says softly.

There are tears glistening in her eyes. Her father has just been given a terminal diagnosis and the doctors estimate four months until he'll be bedridden.

"And he will," James insists, taking his fiancée's hand and squeezing it gently, "between all of us we can definitely get it sorted in a month, especially with magic."

"Yeah," Sirius agrees, "and it will still be the best wedding ever. Prongsy has to get married in style since I'll probably never take the plunge – monogamy would deprive too many ladies of my considerable charms."

Here Remus snorts, before muttering something about how Sirius would be singing a different tune if Marlene McKinnon would give him the time of day.

"And …" Sirius continues, ignoring Remus' interjection, "Moony here seems determined to sabotage _every_ romantic relationship he has … so, James, you're our only hope of happily wedded bliss."

He doesn't mention Peter (currently absent visiting a sick aunt), whose tendency towards lurking around the girls dorm while they were all at Hogwarts has not made him popular with the opposite sex.

"It's just, I really wanted a proper wedding," Lily sighs, "and there's so much to organise. But I've got piles of work for my Charms Mastery and I'm sure I won't be able to get it all done."

"We can sort it all, Lily," James promises in earnest, "you get your dress and leave the rest to us."

Lily looks slightly horrified. While it is true that James and Sirius are currently living off their obscene wealth, and that Remus is between jobs, so they certainly have the time, she's not sure that the three Marauders are the best people to plan her dream wedding.

"Don't you trust us?" asks James, clearly sensing her worry.

"With my life, yes," she tells him immediately, "with my wedding plans, not really … but I guess I don't have much choice, not if I want this wedding to happen."

"You won't regret it," James says, beaming at her.

"This is going to be fantastic," adds Sirius.

"I'll attempt to reign them in," Remus offers with a tired smile.

"No explosions," Lily reminds them, "and try to keep it relatively sane."

James and Sirius' matching grins do not reassure her.

* * *

"I think it's best to sort the venue first," Remus suggests, "since you already have the date sorted. I'm not sure what we can find on such short notice, though."

"We're wizards," Sirius says.

"You are not using magic to ruin or move someone else's wedding day," Remus states firmly, "I _will_ tell Lily and she _will_ murder you."

Sometimes Remus wonders if the threat of Lily's wrath will ever lose its efficacy in curbing James and Sirius' wilder antics, but he doubts it. He uses such a threat regularly and it almost always produces the desired results.

Lily is one scary witch, for all her kindness and tolerance.

"I don't think we can use Potter Manor," James says, "there's family magic there and it would need too much work to remove the protection and muggle-repelling charms, not to mention working out how to disguise the moving portraits and magical artefacts."

"And stop the House Elves from trying to help," Sirius adds, "you know how they get when you try and make your own food."

"Maybe we can ask Hestia," James suggests, "I think her family own a couple of manor houses they sometimes rent out for weddings. You better go, Moony, she still hasn't forgiven Sirius and I for the time we accidentally turned her into a mouse and she nearly got eaten by Alice's cat."

"Can you blame her?" asks Remus, "… but fine, yes I'll go and visit her."

"Great," James smiles, "I'm sure this won't be as difficult as Lily seems to think. So what's next?"

Remus, who has managed to read six different wedding planning books in less than twenty four hours, pulls out a list on a three foot sheaf of parchment and hands it to his friend.

James scans the list, eyes getting wider and wider until he reaches the end (task number 203).

"They're not all particularly time-consuming," Remus offers, trying to be helpful, "some will only take a few minutes."

"I … I just need to go and lie down for a while," James stumbles off, pale and shaky, towards his bedroom.

"Do you think I should tell him there's another fifty or so numbers on the other side of the parchment?" asks Remus.

"Best not, mate," Sirius says wisely, "best not."

* * *

They do find a venue, thankfully.

Hestia helps them choose one of the properties her family owns, not far from London, that is free on their chosen date. It's a beautiful manor house with a number of rooms for guests to stay over if they wish and impressive grounds for photographs.

Of course, Hestia insists on subjecting James and Sirius to the same unfortunate experience she suffered at their hands. She transfigures them into mice with some relish and lets Alice's cat have a little too much fun for their comfort (although as Remus points out, they were never in any _real_ danger of being eaten).

Lily laughs over the photos they take for half an hour and thanks them for giving her a good laugh in the middle of a stressful period in her Apprenticeship.

James and Sirius sulk, as expected.

Things move quickly from there.

With the venue picked they can look at catering, and Hestia's family have connections there too so that task, at least, isn't too difficult.

Magic is a great help when it comes to sending out invitations, which has to be done as soon as possible thanks to the short time-scale they're working with. It isn't going to be a huge guest list thankfully – Lily's family isn't very big and James' parents are both gone, so it's mostly friends from Hogwarts and the Order.

Sirius suggests they have Dumbledore perform the ceremony, but James, much as he likes his old headmaster, realises that it might not be the best idea, given Dumbledore's flamboyant dress sense (even when he's wearing muggles clothes). Instead they settle on their Order friend Kingsley Shacklebolt, who had been a Ravenclaw three years ahead of them in Hogwarts, and whose Ministry connections allow him to quickly obtain a licence to perform the ceremony. Kingsley's calming, authoritative presence is also far less likely to arouse criticism in those such as Lily's brother-in-law Vernon (James doesn't care what the Dursleys think of him, but he knows Lily will be happier if things go as smoothly as possible).

They ask Frank, their resident Herbology expert, for assistance with flowers and table decorations. A lot of magical plants show no physical sign that they are anything out of the ordinary and they trust that he'll come up with some marvellous combinations, as long as he does not let his new wife Alice (who has a well-known black thumb) anywhere near his work.

It's all coming together, to their mutual shock.

Lily is far more relaxed about their planning now she can see that they aren't making a complete disaster of it.

"It's not that I don't love and trust you all," she reiterates, "it's just that …"

"That we're Marauders and always enjoy a good prank?" suggests Sirius.

"Err, yeah, that's basically it," she admits, "but really, I'm so proud of you all."

James beams at her, as entranced as ever by his fiancée despite the toll her Charms Mastery is currently taking (she's got a harried look in her eyes, spends about eighteen hours of the day hard at work and liable to snap at anyone who interrupts her, and sleeps fitfully for the other six hours, sometimes standing up).

"So how do you feel about fireworks?" asks James.

Lily goes pale, clearly remembering the fireworks the Marauders had set off at the end of seventh years, the ones that had spelled out insults aimed at the Slytherins and accidentally caused three fires in the Great Hall.

"Maybe not," she says.

But Sirius is giving James a thumbs up from behind her that suggests Lily may not get her wish.

Remus wonders if he'll be able to talk them out of this one.

* * *

"Not the Weird Sisters, Sirius," Lily says as she examines a list of possible bands that James, Sirius and Remus have compiled for her to look at during one of her rare free hours.

"They're so good, though," Sirius whines.

"I can't disagree," Lily says, thinking of the recent concert they'd been to where they all shouted themselves hoarse (none of them could talk in more than a whisper for about a week), "but not for my wedding."

"Celestina Warbeck?" asks James.

Lily makes a face, "that woman screeches terribly. Not her."

"Spellbound?" Remus suggests.

Lily shakes her head, "they have the worst luck – at the last wedding they played at the guests got attacked by a rampaging Manticore, and the one before that half the guests ended up with food poisoning, and the one before that one …"

"Alright, we get it," Sirius cuts her off, "Spellbound are out of the running. What about The Hobgoblins?"

"Oh their lead singer Stubby Boardman looks just like you, Sirius," Remus grins.

Sirius scowls, "he's twenty years older than I am."

"I just call it as I see it," Remus says innocently.

"No to The Hobgoblins, and not Blodwyn Bludd either – he's a vampire for Merlin's sake."

"If you're just going to say no to every suggestion, Lily, then we're not going to get anywhere," Sirius complains.

"A muggle band," she tells them, "we've got muggle guests and I don't think some of them would take well to any of the groups or singers on this list … and no, James, I am not just talking about my sister and her husband."

"I've got to go," she tells them after a moment's silence, "Professor Flitwick is expecting me, but we just need a normal, decent wedding band – I'm sure it won't be too difficult, despite the short notice."

"We've got it covered, Lily Flower," James says confidently as Lily leans over to kiss him goodbye, "you can count on us."

Lily nods, "right, bye guys, I'll see you later."

"So does anyone know how to find a muggle wedding band?" asks James after Lily has flooed to Hogwarts.

"I can give it a try," Remus says, "my mum should be able to help."

"What about, oh that guy that Lily's always talking about. She played me some of his records – they were so cool. It was Bowder, Boodie … no, Bowie."

"David Bowie?" Remus asks, "James, that guy's a superstar. There's no way we can get him to play at a tiny little wedding."

Surely not, Remus thinks, no way at all.

* * *

"Do you think Lily would like unicorns at the wedding?" asks James.

"There will be muggles around," Remus reminds him.

"I bet we could put a charm up so only the wizarding guests could see them," Sirius suggests, "or maybe one to make them look like horses."

"People don't normally have horses at weddings," Remus says, "and don't you remember that unicorns' magic makes it extremely difficult to put any kind of spell on them?"

"Oh yeah," James nods, "Lily wrote a Charms paper about it once – Flitwick gave her 106% on it."

"Swot," Sirius mutters, as if he'd forgotten that _he_ had received Outstandings on all but two of his NEWTs.

James just elbows him.

"I think we should stick to magic that the muggles will write off as good special effects," Remus suggests, "set up, lights and such."

"Sirius," James whispers, "send an owl to Alice's cousin and tell him we don't need those fairies anymore."

Remus sighs but pretends not to have heard.

"What about that Vernon Dursley bloke Lily's sister is dating?" Sirius demands, "he's apparently a menace. Are we not even allowed to set a few Cornish Pixies loose on him – if he's anything like Lily says then he'll probably just pretend to himself that it was a normal accident, nothing magical at all?"

James grins wickedly, and both he and Sirius look to Remus, their expressions begging him not to take away all their fun.

"Fine," Remus says, sending a silent apology to Lily, "but no more than three Pixies and you don't let them near him for more than a few minutes."

"Of course not," James agrees, all unconvincing innocence.

Remus is definitely going to regret this.

* * *

Lily hears groaning when she enters the house after a long day of research, and her first panicked thought is that James has been injured somehow.

(she hasn't forgotten the time he transformed in a doorway and got stuck thanks to his antlers … and of course there's Death Eaters too, although they're really a secondary concern next to the trouble he and Sirius can get themselves into).

She rushes into the front room to find her fiancé and Sirius rolling around on the floor clutching their stomachs and moaning in pain.

"What in Merlin's name happened here?" she asks, imagining slow acting poisons or a practice duel gone wrong, before she narrows her eyes at them, "you two didn't decide to be experimental with dinner again, did you? Because I told you, James, you're a decent cook but nothing good is ever going to come of combinations like spaghetti and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans."

James shakes his head, "cake tasting," is all he can gasp out.

Lily tuts at them both, "you're such children," she says as she heads towards the kitchen, "how much cake could you possibly have –"

She goes silent as she opens the door and peers into the kitchen.

Every single surface is covered in half-eaten cakes of all description (though it must be said that a significant number contain some form of chocolate). And in the middle, sitting serenely at the kitchen table and working his way through a huge chocolate fudge cake, is Remus.

"I told you not to let him get involved with the cake tasting," she hisses at James, "and you know you're only supposed to get slices to try, not whole damn cakes."

"I didn't tell him," James protests weakly, "he just knew – he's got a sixth sense when it comes to these things."

"I heard him and Sirius discussing it over the Floo yesterday," Remus adds, "you know they don't know how to use 'inside voices' when they get excited."

Lily sighs, "I just wanted something simple and traditional – maybe a fruitcake layer and a sponge layer."

Remus, who has strong opinions about the place of fruit in proximity to chocolate, gasps loudly. He quickly cuts a slice of the cake he has been eating and practically shoves it at Lily.

"Taste that," he says, "and then tell me you'd rather have fruitcake."

Lily rolls her eyes but does as he asks. It is more effort than it is worth to argue with Remus about chocolate cake.

But then, the first mouthful … and she is a convert.

"Merlin," she breathes out, "I think this is the best thing I've ever tasted."

"Right!" Remus nods emphatically in agreement, "I don't want to think about the sort of things I'd do just to get one of these cakes every day."

"And I bet he wouldn't even get fat," Sirius pouts sulkily in the background, "bloody werewolf metabolism."

Lily sits down at the table and makes a grab for more of the cake. Remus makes a protective motion and pulls it closer, though, and so she just reaches for what looks like a carrot cake (not quite as amazing as the chocolate one but still delicious).

"I guess we could have a small iced fruitcake to be traditional, and then have that one as the main dessert," Lily muses as she points at the cake Remus has nearly finished devouring.

"Excellent idea," Remus agrees, "best one I've heard all day."

"What are we going to do with all of this, though?" she asks, gesturing around at the kitchen.

"I'll take anything with chocolate home with me," Remus offers.

Well that got rid of about half of it, at least.

"Bring it to the Order meeting tomorrow," suggests James, who has recovered enough to stand and lean against the doorframe, "as long as I never have to look at it again."

Lily shakes her head, "you'll never learn your limits, will you James?"

"Probably not," her fiancé admits, "but you love me anyway, don't you?"

Lily can't help but smile, "Merlin help me I do, James … although if you think _I'm_ going to be the one boxing up all this cake then you've got another thing coming. I'm going to do some work before bed – you all have fun tidying up."

She heads towards the stairs and when James looks back at his friends he notices Remus boxing up the chocolate cakes at top speed and shrinking them to put into a bag, "I better get this cake home," he tells James, "I hope you don't mind me not stopping to clear up the rest."

"Sure, I've got Sirius," James says, but when he heads back into the front room he finds that Sirius has vanished and all that is left is a brief, scribbled note.

 _Sorry Prongs, my stomach's killing me and I have to go home and lie down._

 _See you tomorrow._

 _Padfoot._

James scowls and heads back to the kitchen to find that Remus and the chocolate cakes have vanished, but there's still plenty of mess to clear up, only him to do it, and he'll have to look up the best spells because he can't remember any that won't just vanish the cake completely.

He sighs. He needs less sneaky friends.

* * *

When Remus comes over the visit James and Lily one evening, he doesn't even get the chance to say hello before James is dragging him into the sitting room.

"I need you to go over to Marlene's," James whispers, "and get a look at Lily's dress."

"James," Remus reminds him, "you do realise you aren't supposed to see Lily's dress until the wedding, or know anything about it, right?"

"I need to know, Moony," James pleads, "I just want to have _some_ idea. I mean, what if it turns out to be a horrible dress and I don't smile when I see it? Lily would be devastated … and she'd probably hex me."

"Prongs," Remus uses the slow, even tones he reserves for when one of his friends is being particularly stupid, "this is Lily we're talking about – you have said on numerous occasions that she would look good in a burlap sack, and you told her with no sarcasm whatsoever that she looked beautiful that time she stayed up all night studying and came down to breakfast with her uniform on inside out and looking like she'd been dragged through a hedge backwards."

"She looked so pretty when she told me to get out of her seat or I'd find myself wearing Slytherin colours for the rest of term," James muses with a ridiculously sappy smile on his face.

"Sometimes I wonder about you, James," Remus shakes his head.

James shrugs, "so … will you go look at the dress for me, Moony? Of course it will be beautiful, but I want to make sure I've got the appropriate compliments all prepared."

"Why?" asks Remus, "you'll probably just end up gaping at her in awe – that's what usually happens."

"You're so mean, Moony," James says grumpily.

"Feel free to ask Sirius to go instead."

"He can't," James sighs, "he's decided that the best way to get Marlene to go out with him is to make increasingly racy jokes and she told Lily that if he does it again she's going to curse his bits off."

"Wow, he must really like her," Remus grins, "he only gets idiotic with his flirting when he's actually invested."

"Yeah, well that doesn't really help _me_ right now," James complains.

"Just let it be a surprise," Remus advises, "I'm sure Lily will look amazing and it will all turn out alright."

"Fine," James agrees, "but if I make a fool of myself then I'm blaming you."

"I'll survive, I'm sure, but you better get in the kitchen quickly – you left Sirius alone in there with Lily and you know how that tends to turn out."

James' eyes widen, "Lily!" he shouts as he hurries towards the kitchen, "Lily, don't set fire to Sirius' hair again, he's still traumatised from the last time."

Remus just follows him, laughing all the way.

* * *

James wakes up the morning after his stag night with a serious hangover and a fervent desire for the sun to disappear for a few hours.

He can feel a warm body pressed against him and he sighs happily. At least he's got Lily, and hopefully if she's feeling nice she'll give him one of the Hangover Potions she keeps hidden away in her Potions Lab.

He leans forward, eyes still closed to shield them from the light, to kiss her good morning … only to find his lips brushing stubble rather than smooth skin.

His eyes snap open at the same time as his bed-mate's do and, as he and Sirius stare at each other in horror, they hear a click and see a flash.

Their gazes simultaneously turn to the doorway, where Remus stands with a camera, cackling manically.

James shoves Sirius away and looks pleadingly at Remus, hoping that he will destroy any incriminating pictures.

"Don't even think about it Prongs," Remus sing songs, "this will make a perfect final photo for the album I'm putting together of the stag night. I think Lily was find it really entertaining."

James grimaces at his words, especially as his mind starts to remember flashes of the night before.

 _Sirius, wearing a skin-tight dress, fishnet tights, scarlet lipstick and a towering pair of heels, strutting across a stage flipping his shoulder length raven locks in what is clearly meant to be a seductive way and singing 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun'._

 _A dozen shots lined up on the bar, each one a different neon colour, and a crowd behind him screaming 'drink, drink, drink!'_

 _Clattering around in a public fountain as Prongs while three policemen try to corral him towards an animal rescue van._

 _Remus – skinny, perpetually exhausted looking, Remus – casually out-drinking everyone in the bar with a half-smile on his face._

 _A … Hippogriff, he thinks, though he can't remember where that was or what had happened._

 _He and Sirius distracting Fabian and Gideon Prewett so Remus can sneak a Babbling Beverage into their drinks (everyone always thinks of Moony as the sensible one, but he's a Marauder too)._

 _Peter throwing up in the bathroom and going home early after attempting to down an entire bottle of Firewhisky in one go._

 _Jumping around dancing to the Weird Sisters' newest hit 'Can You Dance Like a Hippogriff?'_

 _Hugging Sirius and Remus and sobbing ridiculously about how much he loves them both._

 _Delivering a speech standing on a table at the Leaky Cauldron explaining the many reasons why Lily Evans, soon to be Potter, is the best witch (and woman) in the entire world._

James winces at the pain in his head.

"Moony, what's it going to cost me to ensure those photographs never see the light of day?"

Remus gives him a frankly evil grin, "too late for that, James, I've already promised Lily all the hilarious details of last night."

"That's not fair," James whines, "I don't know anything about Lily's hen night – she won't even confirm or deny Marlene's suggestion that they _may_ have seen strippers and it's driving me insane."

Remus shrugs, "what can I say, everyone's more scared of Lily than they are of you."

James' expression turns into a soppy grin, "she's awesome, isn't she."

"You've got it bad, mate," Sirius says, still lounging on the bed, "really bad."

He's right of course, but James wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

The morning of the wedding dawns bright and clear, a warm (but not too sweltering) 23 degrees forecast for the day.

James wakes refreshed, thanks to the Dreamless Sleep that had been forced on him the night before once his friends realised he was working himself up into a panic over whether Lily would actually show up at the altar.

("Of course she will," Sirius had said, "for some bizarre reason she's crazy in love with you.")

They all start to get ready, and James looks a little enviously at Sirius' perfectly styled hair when his own won't stay at all flat.

"Marlene's the maid of honour, isn't she?" asks Sirius, "because I'm fairly sure it's a muggle tradition for the best man and maid of honour to dance together."

"It's Marlene you'll have to convince," Remus says, "and she's probably more liable to curse you than dance with you."

"You underestimate my charms," Sirius insists.

"Or maybe you overestimate them," Remus suggests with a laugh.

"Guys," James cries out, "this is not the time. There are far more important things to worry about, like whether I'll get my vows out, or if Lily will turn up, or whether Vernon Dursley will say something prejudiced and stupid."

"You need to chill, mate," Sirius says, "it's all going to be great. In fact, Remus is going to go and check on the girls right now, right Moony?"

"Sure," Remus agrees easily, preferring to escape the room filled with James' nervous energy, "don't worry James."

Remus is only gone ten minutes, and yet Sirius feels an immense amount of relief when he returns – a worried James is _very_ difficult to corral.

"She seems very calm," Remus reports about Lily, "no signs of an intention to flee the scene, though I did tell her we could nick Sirius' bike if she wanted a quick getaway."

"Moony!" James cries out over Sirius' indignant shout about how only _he_ is allowed to touch the bike.

"I'm kidding, James, it's all fine. She's a bit sad that her sister refused to be a bridesmaid, but she's mostly over it."

He picks up James' suit and hands it over, "now get dressed, or we're going to be late."

* * *

Lily looks magnificent in a dress of ivory silk and lace, her veil held in place by a delicate silver diamond-encrusted tiara that James has found for her out of the Potter family vault at Gringotts.

She's using a popular wedding spell, one that adds a certain sparkle to the bride's appearance. However, she scarcely seems to need it as she walks down the aisle, a radiant vision.

Her father looks proud and happy, and everyone aware of his declining health is pleased to see that he shows no signs of fatigue or pain.

Hagrid, sitting on a magically reinforced chair, sobs loudly into a huge handkerchief. Petunia and Vernon Dursley eye him with barely concealed distaste but no one takes much notice of them.

As Remus had predicted, James does little but gape when he spots Lily. She seems to understand it's because he's stupefied by her beauty, though, and is pleased rather than offended.

By the time Lily and her father have reached the dais at the end of the aisle, both she and James are struggling to hold in their grins.

Lily's father kisses her cheek and moves to stand next to his wife, who is wiping a few tears away from her eyes.

Kingsley steps up in front of them all, and though he's wearing a smart tailored suit he's left his earring in and seems to be smirking slightly at the audible harrumph that comes from Vernon Dursley when he spots it.

"We are gathered here today," Kingsley begins, "to witness the marriage of James and Lily. It's been a true pleasure to see the two of you evolve as a couple," he tells them, "and I'm sure your friends will all say that it has been … entertaining to watch your relationship grow to what it is today. We are all very proud of you, and so honoured to be present today. Now, I believe you've prepared your own vows."

"We've had a lot of crazy days," James starts, "there was our first date, our first kiss, the first time you told me you loved me, and the day you told me you would marry me … also, yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that, because every single day that I get to be with someone as amazing as you is crazy to me."

He pauses a moment, "I love you. And I'm worried about dancing in front of our friends. The end."

Lily laughs, "okay, well. You planned this wedding in a month, and to be honest sometimes I thought it was all going to go wrong, because … well, you know why. But it's all been wonderful and I've never been happier. Life is unpredictable and not everything's in our control, but as long as you're with the right people, you can handle anything. And you, James Potter, are the right person for me."

"I love you so much," James grins at her, "you're my dream girl."

Lily's eyes fill with happy tears, "I love you too. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

Kingsley smiles at them both, "the rings, please."

Sirius hands them over with a dramatic flourish that causes Kingsley to roll his eyes.

"Do you, James Charlus Potter, take Lily Marie Evans to be your wife?" he asks.

"I do," James replies immediately.

Kingsley turns to Lily, "and do you, Lily Marie Evans, take James Charlus Potter to be your husband?"

Lily, showing that she could be just as mischievous as her soon-to-be husband, lets the silence last just enough to make James feel a little uncomfortable before she nods, "I do."

"Then by the power vested in me I now pronounce you husband and wife – James, you may kiss your bride."

James does so very enthusiastically, to a number of wolf whistles from Sirius, Fabian, Gideon and Marlene.

"Everybody," Kingsley announces, "please put your hands together for Mr and Mrs Potter."

The applause is rapturous.

* * *

The reception features fairy lights rather than actual fairies, neatly attired wait staff instead of House Elves or hovering trays, and a magnificent fireworks display (that thankfully appears to be simply a very impressive muggle ones and does not spell out anything insulting or rude).

Then there is David Bowie (the man himself, not an impersonator). He is completely nonplussed by the occasionally odd things happening and seems to enjoy the bouts of accidental magic from Nymphadora Tonks and the young Weasley boys so much that he declares the wedding the most entertaining small venue he's ever played.

Lily nearly hyperventilates, Petunia actually smiles (although she then pretends to despise Bowie's music when she talks to Vernon) and the muggle guests all whisper in excitement and awe. James, Sirius and Remus refuse to reveal exactly how they've managed to get _the_ David Bowie to play at a wedding for less than a seventy guests, but they remain smug about it all evening.

The magical guests have, for the most part, managed to choose fairly normal outfits to wear, although Professor Dumbledore's long beard (braided for the day) and plum coloured suit do draw quite a lot of attention.

The first dance goes well, and Lily doesn't wince on the occasions when James stands on her toes.

(dancing has never been his forte and even a slow dance is touch and go).

Things become far less sedate when everyone else joins in. Lily's father musters enough strength for a surprisingly energetic father-daughter dance, Arthur and Molly Weasley show off an impressive waltz, and everyone keeps their distance from Fabian Prewett and Dorcas Meadowes when they decide to star incorporating some wild twirls and spins into their dance together.

Vernon Dursley sneers at everything and everyone, and despite the fact that the wedding is ten times more elegant than his own nuptials to Petunia he still insists that the whole affair is tasteless and vulgar.

No one apart from Petunia cares about his opinion, and the two of them retire to their room fairly quickly after a brief incident which sees Vernon upended from his seat and landing face first into a pile of dirty plates.

Lily eyes the Marauders suspiciously, but since they smuggle the Cornish Pixies out quickly and Vernon refuses to admit anything out of the ordinary has occurred, there's not much she can say.

* * *

"Time to leave them to it?" suggests Lily hours later, as they watch Gideon Prewett and Hestia Jones dance a rather uncoordinated tango.

James grimaces, "Sirius is watching out for us to go. You know he'll call attention to it and make some _very_ inappropriate jokes that will scandalise your parents."

Lily smirks, though, "already got it covered."

She makes a brief signal in the direction of the Weasley family, and suddenly Bill and Charlie have escaped from under their mother's watchful eye and are tugging at Sirius' immaculate designer suit with sticky, icing covered hands.

"I bribed them," she admits as James gives her a proud, impressed look, "two Galleons each."

"Totally worth it," James laughs as he watches Sirius flail as he tries to escape from the boys before they can do more damage to his suit, "let's make a break for it then."

The new Mr and Mrs Potter slip out under the cover of the soap opera drama Sirius is enacting (a huge overreaction to the minor and very reparable damage to his suit) and aren't missed for nearly half an hour.

Sirius complains loudly to all and sundry that his fun has been totally ruined. No one has much sympathy for his plight but he is somewhat consoled by Marlene's agreement to one dance with him ("only one, though, Sirius, don't get any ideas").

And, meanwhile, James and Lily share a final dance on the moonlit lawn, just the two of them.

"Are you happy?" he asks.

"Incandescently so," Lily smiles, "how about you?"

"Best. Day. Ever!" he enthuses.

They laugh, he takes her hand, and they stroll off together in newly wedded bliss.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed it.**


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